Skincare Routine

Skincare is so important to me and one of my favorite topics!!!! I finally took the time to break down my somewhat lengthy routine.

Morning Routine

Cleansing – It’s important to refresh the face of the oil/sweat/dirt/etc. accumulated from sleeping. I alternate between different face washes just depending on my mood.

• Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash – This face wash lives up to its name. It gets really frothy with just a tiny amount which I enjoy. It leaves my face feeling clean and refreshed but not dry. I’ve used this for years and it’s been great for my skin, never breaking me out. The only drawback is that it burns my eyes a bit if I accidentally get some in there.
• Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser with White Tea – This lathers up quite nicely and has a great scent. It cleanses well without stripping my face. I like it enough to finish the tube, but I probably won’t repurchase.
• Foreo LUNA Mini – I always use this facial cleansing device in conjunction with whatever face wash I’m feeling at the moment. I’ve reviewed this in more detail here, but to keep it short: I LOVE IT.

Toning – There are so many benefits of toning including restoring the skin’s pH balance, providing extra cleansing and moisture, as well as shrinking/unclogging pores.

• Origins A Perfect World Age-Defense Treatment Lotion with White Tea – I’ve already raved about this particular toner in this post here and after 6 months of using it, I still love it. I’ve really noticed a difference in my skin. I used to identify my skin type as oily but I’d say it’s more “normal” these days, in large part due to this toner. If I had to choose only one product to recommend adding to your skincare routine, this would be it.
• Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herb and Rosewater – I briefly mentioned this facial spray in a previous post, and I continue to love using it. I don’t at all think it’s as effective as the Origins one, but this is a great cheaper alternative. I also like to use this spray when my face is feeling a bit dry or even as a refresher after working out.

Moisturizing:

• Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturizer – I love this!!! It’s wonderfully light yet effective and has this amazing orange citrus scent that’s not too overpowering. I don’t know how to explain it, but this moisturizer makes my face feel..invigorated? I will say though that I am prone to dry skin that occasionally turns into eczema and this can be too light to combat that, especially in the winter. When I need more hydration, I’ll drop some argan oil in before applying the mixture to my face.
• Simple Replenishing Rich Facial Moisturizer – This is a great affordable alternative to the Origins moisturizer. I’ve been using this one for years as well and will probably always have a bottle on hand. It’s light, unscented, effective, and cheap.
• Josie Maran Pure Argan Oil – As mentioned in this post, this is my holy grail product when it comes to combating eczema. I always mix 1-2 drops into my moisturizer when I need a hydration boost.
• Origins GinZing Eye Cream – This eye cream is actually beautiful. It claims to brighten and depuff the under eye area in the morning. While I can’t speak to the depuffing promises (I don’t have a problem with puffy eyes), this instantly brightens / illuminates / highlights under the eyes in such a beautiful, subtle way. It’s perfect under concealer or on its own. As for long term benefits… I don’t know that my dark circles have been diminished at all. Then again, I’m not sure ANY eye cream I’ve used has been that helpful in this area.
• Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence – Sunscreen is probably the best way to protect your skin from sun damage and signs of aging. Since I’m in my mid-20s now, it’s very important to me to preserve the youthfulness of my skin. If I’m stepping outside, I’m 100% wearing sunscreen, even if it’s cloudy. I’ve spent a long time finding the “perfect” sunscreen that doesn’t smell like sunscreen, isn’t greasy, and doesn’t leave a white cast (the slightly white tinge to your face in flash photography when wearing crappy sunscreen). THIS IS IT GUYS. This clear, gel-like sunscreen is lightweight with a faint citrus scent. It isn’t at all greasy, doesn’t leave a white cast, and has SPF50+/PA++++ for all the UVA and UVB protection you need. It doesn’t hurt that this sunscreen acts as a decent primer for makeup as well. The only problem is that you can’t find this product in American stores. The first Amazon link ships from Asia so it can take several weeks to arrive (mine took 3 weeks). This link is prime eligible BUT you need to buy 2 (which I’ve already done because I’m in love).

Evening Routine

Cleansing – Just like washing your face in the morning, it’s really important to wash off the day’s oil and grime in the evening.

• Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm – First step is always to thoroughly take off makeup if I’m wearing any that day. This is hands down the best makeup remover I’ve ever tried out. Further review here.
• Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash – I like to use this every night, especially on days  when I wear waterproof mascara. This cleanser is very gentle so it doesn’t burn my eyes but still thoroughly cleanses the face. I’ll also always have a bottle of this on hand. I adore Simple skincare.
• Foreo – Of course, I use the Foreo at night alongside the Simple cleanser.

Toning:

• Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herb and Rosewater
• Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner – I recently incorporated this into my skincare routine so I don’t have a strong opinion on this one yet. So far, I like it. People rave about this affordable product.

Moisturizing:

• Origins A Perfect World Age-Defense Skin Guardian with White Tea – I use this product as a serum and a light moisturizer hybrid before putting on my actual moisturizer. I really wanted to add a serum to my routine and this was my first product from that family. The texture is silky, almost gel-like and leaves my skin feeling hydrated, calm, and very smooth. There are supposedly a ton of anti-aging properties as well which is always a plus for me. I definitely like this product but at $59, I don’t love it. I’ll probably look into other serums after I finish this one.
• Origins or Simple Moisturizer + Argan Oil
• Olay Regenerist Eye Cream – This is the eye cream I use at night. I’ve tried a number of eye creams and, to be honest, I don’t think I’ve seen any of the promised benefits of any eye cream come to fruition. I mainly incorporate these into my routine because I’m supposed to. The skin around the eyes is supposedly more fragile, dry, and prone to showing signs of aging. I’m all about doing things to help with anti-aging, so hence using eye cream. I like this one just fine: it’s hydrating, smoothing, and not too thick. However, I do notice that it doesn’t sink into my skin particularly well. If I don’t thoroughly massage it into the areas around my eyes, the product seems to dry on top of my skin and sort of flake off. I’ll finish this eye cream, but I probably wouldn’t repurchase.

Spot Treatments

• Clindamycin Phosphate 1% Topical Solution – My doctor prescribes this to me as an acne treatment. Honestly, I don’t think it’s that great. I’ve used it for years on active acne spots but at most, it’s mildly effective.
• Mario Badescu Drying Lotion – Single most effective spot treatment for acne that I’ve tried. It’s not going to prevent breakouts, but it’ll help diminish the appearance of them and speed up the healing process. The solution is separated between a clear liquid and a pink sediment at the bottom. Don’t shake it!!! (But if it happens like when you’re traveling it’ll settle and separate don’t worry.) Dip a Q-tip all the way to the bottom until you’ve reached the pink sediment and then you’ll dab that on your acne spots. You’ll look like you have pink chicken pox. Leave it on overnight, wash it off in the morning, and your acne will look much better! I highly recommend this if you’re in the market for a great spot treatment!!!
• Origins Out of Trouble Mask – I’ve talked about how I use this mask as a spot treatment in this post. I still do so every so often but it’s not as effective as the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion.

Masks – I’ll use a face mask 1-2x a week to treat my skin for any skincare concerns I’m having at the moment. You’re probably wondering…why do you need masks on top of all the crap you put on your face already?? Well, I guess I don’t NEED to do it but I love doing it anyway! It’s great to pamper yourself and I think that a single mask application can make a significant difference on your skin in terms of hydration, texture, elasticity, etc.

• Origins Out of Trouble Mask – When you apply this mask over your entire face, there’s a slight tingling and cooling sensation that is very enjoyable (despite the slightly funny scent). This is very effective at calming down my skin when it starts to break out a little.
• Origins Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay – I specifically love using this mask when my complexion is dull and not smooth and has enlarged pores. It seems to fix all these problems and improves the quality of my skin. The mask also has these little jojoba beads that exfoliate my skin when I wash it off which helps remove any dead skin cells. Loooove this, and the lovely scent is a nice bonus.
• Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask – I don’t think charcoal masks are for everyone. They make your face feel very tight as it dries down and can almost seem too harsh. However, charcoal is very good at drawing out toxins or debris that may be clogging pores and I’m a big fan of using this on and around my nose to do just that. My face feels very clean after using this!

I recognize that this is a very long list of products but I’ve been changing and adding to my skincare routine for years. This is what works for me right now but there are so many products that I want to try out!!!! On my wishlist are different night oils and incorporating some K-beauty products like an essence into my routine. Let me know if there are any skincare products that y’all recommend!

With love,
Sallie

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